The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-03-04
THE COLUMBIAN AND DEMOCRAT, BLOOMSBURY, COLUMBIA

yet the teachers are OF more value than all
the lawyers, doctors, and ministers II they
should be rolled up together. hold the
teachers position second to none. The
Christian teacher Of band of children
combines the office Of the teacher and par
ent, and has more to do In shaping the
minds of the community than preacher and
parent combined. The teacher who spends
six hours day with my child spends three
times as many hours as do, and twenty
fold more time than my pastor docs. l
have no words to express my sense OF the
importance Of this office. Still less have |
words to express my sense of the import
ance of having that Office filed by men and
women of the purest motives and the most
devoted Christianity. The teacher should
be the strongest and most angelic man that
breathes No man living is intrusted with
such precious materials no man living can
do so much to set human life to noble
tune" If this is true, and l am sure no
one will question 1t, the teachers have ii in
their power to build up or tear down, at
will, the foundations of nations liberty
and true greatness. Let me, therefore,
again respectfully urge the directors to
put no one 10 charge of primary school
who is not a good tescher. If ordinary
teachers must be employed, put them into
intermediate and ungraded schools but
never into primaries
The salary of the principal of the Blooms
| burr mao ;p,rooead hftppn nOllare
per month. The crowded condition of
some of the schools of the town made it
| necessary to secure more room and to en-
ploy an additional teacher. In Briar
Creek township the teachers salary was
| increased five dollars per month AT Ber-
wick the primary school was divided, an
additional room iented one more teacher
employed, and all the rooms kolsomined.
| Increased Accommodations had also to be
secured for the Catawissa schools, and
here, too, the spirit of improvement led
| the directors to have all the rooms kalso-
mined and re-painted. There is very
marked improy emcnt in the number of
studies pursued by the pupils of the county.
Most of them are now pursuing the studies
adapted to their age ana requirements AT
all of the institutes special attention has
been given to primary work, and the salu-
tary effect of this can now easily be seen
in all the grades.
| All of the schools but one-and this was
temporarily closed at the time of my visit
have been visited once; number of
them several times. During visitation,
teachers were rarely asked to digress from
their programme. II the regular pre-
gramme is followed, aud good work is not
done. the teacher, or pupils, or both, can
reasonably be held responsible.
A number of the teachers seem to have
depended more on the number of terms
taught, as passport to desirable positions,
than upon intellectual or professional i'm
provement. | have not therefore, indi-
Gated on the certificate the number of
terms taught. since the most important
objects of the 5uperintendenps visits are
to guide the teachers and to make neces-
sary suggestions to them and their pupils,
/ do not often teach, but carefully note the
|
ions to the teachers always make private
ly, unless the necessities of the case de-
mand publicity.
A number OF the schools of the county
charged an admission fee to evening en-.
tertanments, and used the proceeds tow.
ard the purchasing of libraries. In this
way the Caawissa and Centraia schools
have secured the largest and best school
lbrariies In the county. The Young Mems
Christian Association of Berwick kindly
gave the use of its library Zone of the
largest in Pennsylvania) to the teachers
and pupils of that borough.
The Catawissa board of directors sup
piled their schools with supplementary
reading, with most excellent results. A:
the space for this report is limited l will
not point out the advantages derived from
such reading, but simply sugges, that di
rectors give the subject their serious con
sideration, with the hope that the schools
will all soon be supplied with such reading
The Centraia board of directors organ
lied (under the new law night schools
with membership of one hundred ant
twenty "breaker boys". | visited then
two successive evenings and found then
orderly, studious, and showing a marked
= disposition to make the best of their oppor
: tunities. Conyngham did not organic
such schools, as there were no funds will
which to meet the expenses. Ample pro
vision ought to be made, wherever neces
sary, for such cases.
At the last riennial convention Of dl
D rectors, suggested the importance of tn
organization of IA directors association,
but, as the hour for the convening of tn
! court was near at hand, the suggestion wa
: not acted upon. AT the cext county inst
tute another opportunity will be given 70
i them to effect such an organization. A
y many of the hindrances to successfu
y school-work in this county have been dis
cussed In previous reports, will, at thi
y time, only suggest Improvements. /, Suf1
! cient inducements to lead teachers to ex
! pend the requisite time and money to max
a thorough preparation for their work.
: Pupils to be furnished with the necessar
i hooks. 3. Suitable out-houses built. 4
o Unabridged dictionaries, books Of refel
s ence, supplementary reading, and appt
J. ratus provided. 8. chool.grounds proper
/. ly cared for. g. Visitation of the school
. by the citizens and the school directors
:, 7. One continuous term instead of tw
IL short ones, as we now have in number {
l. the districts. 8. The immediate erectiO
e of a number of scbool.housts to take III
= places Of those which are now unfit for ust
NippeuOse WOODEN MiIl.
2, Yesterday morning Messrs. George v
- Iohn w ai,